


Four times Penelope Hotchner knew her fathers loved her

by melliyna



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe, Kid Fic, M/M, cm: family verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-16
Updated: 2010-04-16
Packaged: 2017-10-08 23:45:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melliyna/pseuds/melliyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She's always been fairly proud of her parents. For eternal_sadist, with love</p>
            </blockquote>





	Four times Penelope Hotchner knew her fathers loved her

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eternal sadist](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=eternal+sadist).



The day that David Rossi carried an armful of excited, dressed in a fairy dress and wearing little converses with rainbows on them four year old girl in to his classroom at Quantico was the day that his students started to be a little less afraid of him. Penelope Hotchner would be in later years, fairly proud of that.

It certainly left a trail of bewilderment in the corridors of Quantico. Because though no one would call him "Agent Rossi and Mr Ego" to his face, the nickname still remained in place, alongside the respect and the admiration. For the new agents, there might have been talk of mellowing but they didn't entirely see it - except right now, at this moment he was carrying an excited little girl who was pointing out the features of everything and everyone and making sure that Dave knew he was going the right way, because that was something you needed to know, after all. When he carries her in to the lecture room the waiting class did very well to hide their boggled expressions.

"Now, before we get started for today there's someone I'd like you to meet. This is Pen, my youngest daughter and she'd like to talk to you all for a moment." He lifts her up to the lectern and they get a glimpse of a cast on one arm, covered in drawings as she waves and then curls her other hand around the microphone that looks far too big for her.

"Hello. Daddy said I can say sorry that he had to run. I fell off the monkey bars and he had to run to the hospital. And get me ice cream and he told me all stories when it hurt, so don't be mad at him. Or too mad big people" She's all curious four and perhaps a little bit scared by all the people but she's also very very excited, especially because Penelope Hotchner just got to speak to the class that Daddy teaches and that's being a Big Person (she likes being a big person, in small doses).

She always smiles when Daddy smiles at her, too.

-

Years later, she got so angry at Gideon. Not really for herself, because Pen doesn't especially remember him except in vague flashes (someone giving her a wand, being taken out for candy after a ballet concert, a hand in hers) and honestly, as far as thirteen year old Penelope Hotchner is concerned she's got two parents thank you very much and she doesn't need _him_. No she's angry for Derek, who does remember and Pops, who definitely remembers and is always willing, always to be forgiving (this part she really doesn't understand). She doesn't want to care about why Gideon might have left because look what he left behind. Look who he left behind.

Pen asks Dad about this one day. They are driving home from her ballet class and its always been a time for talks - serious and otherwise (either that or Dad will put on Sinatra or something along those lines or she'll play her music and they'll both attempt to sing along and tease each other about music, which works well) and so she brings it up and Dad puts on his thinking face for a moment.

"You know Pen, I might not be the best person to ask about Gideon."

"Yes, Oh Dad Of Mine but as I asked...?"

He gives her his serious face, as he answers. And tells her about Jason Gideon, as fair as he can make it. It isn't the full version, but it's close to it and it helps because Dad is willing to be fair to someone she knows he never liked for her.

-

"Pen, are you making something?"

Derek's there and he looks sad. Pen hopes this will make him less sad, because she might only be four but she knows magic and this will help make Derek less sad and make Papa less sad too. So she gestures to the mess of glitter and flowers and shows Derek her spell.

"I've got a spell to make Daddy come back, Derek!"

And then Derek runs off. Pen doesn't understand why Derek ran away but she's going to make this spell exactly anyway. And then wave her wand and Daddy will come back and they'll all have adventures again and Papa will finish her fairy wings and it will be magic. When Papa comes in to say its time to get ready for bed, she doesn't understand why it hasn't worked or why his face looks sad because Daddy will be home soon, she tells him. And then Papa hugs her and says, Pen, sometimes, sometimes the fairies can't get people to come back. See, Daddy can't right now.

She does go to sleep sad but not too sad, because Papa is here and he'll always be here. That part of her magic spell worked.

-

When Aaron Hotchner and David Rossi finally get married they let Pen help plan the wedding. And really, there is no greater expression of parental love than letting your child decide that yes, there really does need to be an abundance of flowers (among other things) and that honestly, everything is better when the wedding guests are given crayons.


End file.
